43,000 Bottles of Mentos Gum. Six Days. One Unsuspecting College
Freshman.

Mentos Gum surprises incoming University of Wisconsin-Madison
freshman Sam Jeschke with challenge of a lifetime: make a fresh
connection with everyone on campus before the first day of class and win
DJ Khaled concert for entire student body and a year of tuition for
himself.

Fans throughout the US can share ideas for Sam on SamHasMentosGum.com
for a chance to win a VIP trip to the concert.

August 31, 2017 02:34 PM Eastern Time

ERLANGER, Ky.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--#SamHasMentosGum — a 26-foot moving truck filled with 43,000 bottles of
Mentos Pure Fresh Gum. If Sam can share it all before the first day of
school, DJ Khaled will play a free campus concert.

As students descended on University of Wisconsin-Madison this week,
Mentos Gum surprised one incoming freshman, Sam Jeschke, with this epic
challenge to reinforce how the simple act of sharing Mentos Gum can
forge lasting connections. Sam has until the first day of class on
Wednesday, Sept. 6 to share 43,000 bottles of Mentos Gum — enough to
make fresh connections with the entire UW student body.

“Millions of incoming freshmen are filled with nervous excitement this
time of year as they suddenly find themselves surrounded by thousands of
new people in a new environment,” said Sylvia Buxton, Vice President
Marketing for Perfetti Van Melle North America. “The #SamHasMentosGum
challenge was created to demonstrate how Mentos Gum gives you a boost of
confidence when meeting new people. Just this simple act of sharing a
piece of Mentos Gum is all it takes to create a lasting connection. We
look forward to watching Sam prove this on a scale never seen before.”

In addition to providing Sam with 43,000 bottles of Mentos Gum, the
brand is launching a fully integrated campaign to generate awareness and
rally support for Sam’s mission not only on the UW campus, but also on
college campuses nationwide.

By visiting SamHasMentosGum.com,
consumers throughout the U.S. can share ideas to help Sam make
connections. In exchange for their suggestions, consumers will be
entered to win a VIP package for the DJ Khaled concert at UW later this
fall. In addition to sweepstakes rules and entry, the website also
features video and photo content, a real-time counter logging the number
of bottles Sam has distributed and a map showing Sam’s location
throughout the entire challenge.

As the clock ticks down, Mentos Gum social media accounts will share
Sam’s progress and highlight the best and quirkiest moments through
engaging photo and video content. Sam will also be supported by record
producer and music mogul DJ Khaled and by social media mega-star Sara
Hopkins, both of whom will use their respective social media accounts to
encourage Sam along the way.

As the title sponsor for the University of Wisconsin football team’s
televised season-opener on Friday, Sept. 1. #SamHasMentosGum will take
over a raucous Camp Randall Stadium as the Badgers play Utah State
University at 9 p.m. EST. The game will air on ESPN.

Follow Sam’s journey by checking out the #SamHasMentosGum hashtag on
social media, or by following on Mentos Gum on Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram
and YouTube.

About DJ Khaled

DJ Khaled’s latest album Grateful (We The Best Music Group/Epic
Records) debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was
certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on
August 23, 2017. A major force in the music industry, mogul, executive,
mega producer and recording artist, DJ Khaled, known as the "Anthem
King" and commonly referred to as the "Quincy Jones of Hip Hop & R&B",
has made dozens of chart topping hit records featuring JAY Z, Kanye
West, Drake, Chris Brown, Ludacris, T.I., French Montana, Future, Big
Sean, Rick Ross, John Legend, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, among others.

About Perfetti Van Melle

Perfetti Van Melle is a global leader in the confectionery business and
is the third-largest candy and gum manufacturer in the world. PVM
creates imaginative products and brands that are enjoyed in more than
150 countries, including beloved brands like Mentos and Airheads.

About Mentos

Mentos is in 159 countries on this planet alone, so it’s fair to say
Mentos is a global brand. Mentos comes in a lot of different shapes,
flavors, and sizes, so there’s something for everyone and every taste. A
lot of other brands out there obsess about what makes us all different;
we’d rather explore the things we have in common. The Mentos brand is
well-known. And it’s well-loved too. So wherever you go, one thing you
can be sure of when you meet someone new is that they love Mentos. This
means that if you have Mentos in your hand you have the ultimate
conversation starter, a sure way to make a connection. All you need to
do is offer.

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